What are the key indicators that the Game of School is being played?
How did the GOS influence your own view of school and learning in high school?
How are these views affecting your approach to being a student at URI?
What role do you think the GOS play in efforts to improve schools?
This article really made me think. Especially the bit about asking questions. We've all had or known exceptional teachers, and we've had not so great ones as well, but why don't those 'not-so-great' teachers ask the fantastic teachers why they're so good with kids, or how they keep a class engaged? On the other hand, why don't teachers ask students, "What can we do to make this truly important to you, to make you willing to actually work hard?" I feel these are questions that, if asked, could really turn around 'The Game of School', and could positively change things. The key indicators that the Game of School is being played is when kids aren't asking real engaging or thought-provoking questions, or when it's apparent and obvious that a teacher or student is simply doing the minimum to get by, or scrape a B. We all know people who have 'succeeded', as in gotten a degree or graduated high school, simply by doing the barest requirements, and never digging deeper, yet they still get the same 'reward', in this case a diploma or certification, as someone who really worked hard and was passionate about their work. I know I was certainly guilty of playing the Game of School in some classes in high school, for example the classes that weren't my favorite. But why weren't they my favorite? What makes more class more interesting over another? Can any class be good if the teacher is good? I think so. Right now, I find all of my classes very engaging, but, say next semester when I have to take Statistics, I need to avoid falling into playing the Game of School. I took a Stats class in high school, so I need to avoid the mentality of, "oh, I already know all this, and I want to be a spanish teacher so this class doesn't really matter as long as I pull off a B average". But since I am preparing myself for this, hopefully I can prevent it. I am so lucky that I got enough financial aid and scholarship money to come here, that it seems a waste to slack off or not be fully interested in a class. Almost like a lost opportunity.
This article really made me think. Especially the bit about asking questions. We've all had or known exceptional teachers, and we've had not so great ones as well, but why don't those 'not-so-great' teachers ask the fantastic teachers why they're so good with kids, or how they keep a class engaged? On the other hand, why don't teachers ask students, "What can we do to make this truly important to you, to make you willing to actually work hard?" I feel these are questions that, if asked, could really turn around 'The Game of School', and could positively change things. The key indicators that the Game of School is being played is when kids aren't asking real engaging or thought-provoking questions, or when it's apparent and obvious that a teacher or student is simply doing the minimum to get by, or scrape a B. We all know people who have 'succeeded', as in gotten a degree or graduated high school, simply by doing the barest requirements, and never digging deeper, yet they still get the same 'reward', in this case a diploma or certification, as someone who really worked hard and was passionate about their work. I know I was certainly guilty of playing the Game of School in some classes in high school, for example the classes that weren't my favorite. But why weren't they my favorite? What makes more class more interesting over another? Can any class be good if the teacher is good? I think so. Right now, I find all of my classes very engaging, but, say next semester when I have to take Statistics, I need to avoid falling into playing the Game of School. I took a Stats class in high school, so I need to avoid the mentality of, "oh, I already know all this, and I want to be a spanish teacher so this class doesn't really matter as long as I pull off a B average". But since I am preparing myself for this, hopefully I can prevent it. I am so lucky that I got enough financial aid and scholarship money to come here, that it seems a waste to slack off or not be fully interested in a class. Almost like a lost opportunity.